Graciano

Description

Graciano is a Spanish varietal grown primarily in the Rioja region. After some research David Paxton decided to graft one row of Graciano onto some old Chardonnay vines at Thomas Block to see what the result would be. When you try this wine, we think you will agree that the variety is well suited to the conditions of McLaren Vale.

Lighter in body with distinct savoury and white pepper characters filled out with bright red fruits. Light tannins make this wine ready to drink young, although cellaring potential is in the medium term.

Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show

95 Points

Melbourne Royal Wine Awards

95 Points

Halliday Wine Companion

93 Points

Wine Orbit

92 Points

McLaren Vale Wine Show

90 Points

Wine Details

• Region McLaren Vale, South Australia
• Vintage 2022
• Type Red Wine
• Variety Graciano
• Variety Composition

  Organic | Biodynamic

• Vegan Friendly ✔
• Organic Wine ✔
• Volume 750ml
• Alcohol Volume 13.5%
• PH

  3.4

• Standard Drinks 7.7
• Acidity

  5.83

• Sugar

  3.0

• Closure ScrewCap
• Vintage Notes

  Well, you thought 2021 was good but I bet you hadn’t heard about 2022 yet! With most of the country experiencing extreme La Niña conditions, in McLaren Vale we were hit with the lucky stick and enjoyed plenty of soil moistening rain through the winter but no extreme events. Budburst was a breath of new life after a long cool Winter and conditions were ideal up to flowering where things went a bit haywire. Crazy Melbourne type weather blew a lot of the flowers away before they could turn into fruit… but less fruit, more quality and coming off a bumper 2021 vintage it helped balance things out. We had a lovely cool summer, which helped ripening happen nice and slow, just the way we like it. Vintage was well spread out with fine days through most of March allowing us to choose when to pick and preserve stunning, natural acidity.

• Vineyard Notes

  Thomas Block

• Colour

  Highlighter red

• Bouquet

  Like a mature and well defined Pink Peppercorn tree dancing in the breeze, the piperine bounces out of the glass on a buoyant bed of redskin, pomegranate seeds, fresh redcurrants and old-school boiled lollies.

• Palate

  Refreshing and unmistakable, the moreish, vibrant acid holds a line of chalky tannins sprouting elderflower and sour cherries.

• Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

  GOOD: Now - BETTER: Winter 2024 - KEEP: 5-10 years

• Food Matches

  Curries or spicy Asian style dishes

• Music Match

  White Winter Hymnal — Fleet Foxes

• Vinification

  Graciano is often blended with Tempranillo in Rioja but here we have decided to let it sing on its own. A cool vineyard and a late ripening variety mean this wine is fermented in open fermenters at cool temperatures at the beginning of April. Lovingly hand plunged and tasted for 17 days, waiting for the moment it all comes together for pressing. Malolactic fermentation in used French oak puncheons and aged there for 7 months before blending and encapsulating the delicious flavour in bottle.

• Winemaker

  Ashleigh Seymour